Sign-letter



(No Model.)l

P. H. COLBURN.

SIGN LETTER.

Patented Aug. l13, 1895.

Nrrnn STATES FREDERICK H. COLBURN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGNA-LETTER.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,564, dated August 13, 1895.

Applica@ nea April 23, 1895. sesam. 546,854. (No man.)

- is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sign letters or characters for application to plate-glass, more especially in windows and doors, and which are secured in place with a suitable cement.

My Objectis to provide letters or characters of the above class having convex front or obverse sides and marginal forward-projecting lianges provided with securing edges, whereby when the characters are fastened at the said edges upon the inner surface of a pane of glass their convex surfaces will show through the glass and present a particularly attractive and striking appearance. The characters lnay be formed of any suitable material-such, for example, as thin sheet-copper or other metal. I prefer, however, to form them of thin sheet and preferably transparent celluloid.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation of a sign character of my improved construction; Fig. 2, a section taken on line 2 of Fig. l and illustrating the manner of securing the character to a pane of glass; and

Fig. 3, an enlarged cross-section of the character, showing layers of material.

A is the character, formed concave-convex throughout and havinga marginal llange fp with an attaching edge p. The convex surface forms the front or obverse side of the character, and the flanges p project forward to a plane at or slightly beyond the said convex surface.

To form a display-sign the character is cemented at its attaching edges tov the inner surface of a pane of glass X, which may be the plate-glass in a window or door.

The character, as I prefer to provide it, is stamped or cut out of a thin flat sheet of celluloid, after which, to give it a concavo-con- Vex or equivalent shape, conveying the impression of thickness, it is heated to a temperature which will render it sufficiently soft and pliable and molded between dies to the desired shape. When allowed to cool it reshape into which it either before or after the celluloid is formed into the character. The celluloid is thus made to appear at the obverse side as a transparent enamel upon the coloring substance, giving to the character a permanent luster which is particularly attractive.

All the advantages attending the use of my invention are probably more pronounced in gold and silver appearing characters.

In forming a celluloid character such as described the body or celluloid portion tis molded to shape, a layer s of coloring substance-as gold, silver, or metal leaf-is applied with a suitable sizing to the concave facev of the celluloid, and a layer r of securing and protecting paint is then applied upon the layer s, all as is customary in sign-writing.

Appliquecharacters, especially whenformed of celluloid as described, are particularly light in weight and tough, and, owing to the ease with which they may be manufactured and the cheapness of the celluloid material, they are comparatively inexpensive, besides possessing qualities of display not otherwise, it,

is thought, attainable. -The celluloid is more or less pliable even when cold, so that the charactersV may be applied to rounded surfaces. By heating the celluloidv characters they may be readily bent to conform to any uneven surface to which theyare to be applied. This quality is not present in any other applique sign character of which I am aware.

A convex surface gives a much more striking and vattractive appearance to a sign character than a concave surface, andwhile sign characters having convex obverse sides are notnew such characters, as hitherto provided',

have been for application to the outer surface of a pane of glass or other support.

Characters constructed in accordance with my invention are applied to the inner sur; face of the glass, so that their` obverse sides are protected. t

While, as before stated, I prefer to construct the characters of celluloid, my inven- IOO tion is not limited to the use of any particular material.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, an applque sign character of thin sheet material, formed convex on its front or obverse side and there provided with a marginal forwardprojecting Harige having an attaching edge, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an applique sign character of thin and transparent sheet material, formed convex on its front or obverse side and there provided with a marginal forward-projecting flange having an at- 

